JONESBORO (AP) — A judge in Jonesboro found evidence that a 16-year-old boy planned a robbery in which he allegedly shot a man dead and ordered that he be tried as an adult on a first-degree murder charge.

Circuit Judge Cindy Thyer conducted two days of hearings on the issue and made her ruling Friday.

The youth is charged in the July 24 shooting death of Kenny O. Brown, 30, of Jonesboro, who was gunned down during a robbery at an apartment where a dice game was taking place.

Thyer set trial for March 11, with a pretrial hearing Feb. 26. He's also charged with aggravated robbery and aggravated residential burglary.

Henry argued the youth would have a better chance at rehabilitation through the state Department of Youth Services than in state prison if he is convicted. Deputy Prosecutor Alan Copelin contended that any chance of rehabilitation at Youth Services wasn't enough to assure the community's safety.

Parts of the hearing were held behind closed doors due to confidentiality requirements.

Thyer said she was impressed by testimony from the boy's junior high principal, who said he was an A and B student and had no disciplinary problems. She said she was further impressed that the boy took part in church activities, organized sports and respected his father's curfew.

"I saw a lot of positive things with respect to this juvenile," Thyer said.

But evidence recovered from the boy's cellphone and the boy's interview with police swayed her to keep the case in adult court, the judge said.

The evidence suggests the youth, who is not being named because of his age, planned the crime with a person who has not been charged. He found out about a dice game at the victim's residence and saw it as an opportunity to get money to buy cellphone minutes, Thyer said.

Witnesses told police the youth shot a single round through the door of Brown's apartment and then entered, pointing a handgun at the occupants and demanding money. Brown and his brother tried to get the gun away from the boy, but the gun discharged and a bullet struck the victim in the head, police said.

The youth fled, but witnesses were able to identify him by name. Police caught him a short time later.

Thyer said she was troubled that the youth was able to acquire a gun without anyone's help.

Relatives said the boy changed after an older sister was murdered in 2010. Thyer said in her ruling that a counselor testified he could not get the youth to discuss his sister's death.

His father testified his son didn't get adequate counseling. The defendant had only lived with his father and stepmother since December 2011, and he had spent years before that divided among several relatives, the boy's father said.